The invention relates to a device with a housing and several rollers, circular-cylindrical drums and the like, the axles of which are parallel and which are mounted between two walls, in particular for forming a strip, which can be formed at elevated temperatures, as it passes through on the surface of a rotating drum. The rollers, drums and the like can be mounted here with their corotating axle or shaft between the walls or on a fixed parallel axle which is arranged between the walls and on which they rotate.
In devices of this type, it is frequently necessary to service or exchange the rollers, drums and the like. This is necessary, in particular, in a device for forming a strip, which can be formed at elevated temperatures, as it passes through on the surface of a rotating drum, which is the subject matter of a prior application PCT/EP 2004/004145. There, a mass which can be formed at elevated temperatures is pressed between a drum and a carrier belt by a roller against the drum, in order to provide the mass which is present in strip form with impressed portions which correspond to those of the surface of the drum. The mass is subsequently cooled and guided out of the device with the impressed portions which have been produced in this way. In a device of this type, it is necessary, for example, if other impressed portions are to be manufactured, to replace the drum with a drum with other surface patterns. The belt possibly has to be replaced on account of wear. In some circumstances, the roller which presses the mass against the drum, and further deflection rollers, cooling rollers and the like also have to be exchanged. There are similar problems in other devices, in which likewise the rollers, drums and the like have to be accessible and have to be maintained, in particular if they have to be exchanged relatively frequently.
It is known not to provide both walls, in which the rollers, drums and the like are mounted, as a fixed part of the housing. Rather, one of the walls can be pivoted open. Here, this wall is fastened by way of a hinge which makes the pivoting movement possible (DE 35 43 704 A1). Here, the problem occurs that the bearings describe a circular arc in the wall, while the bearings of the rollers, drums and the like permit only pulling off in the axial direction.
In order to solve this problem, it is known to displace the wall for exchanging rollers and the like on a carriage in the axial direction of the rollers and to fold it over only when the ends of the rollers or the axles are exposed. The wall can therefore first of all be moved away in the axial direction, until the rollers, drums and the like are no longer surrounded by the bearings which are provided in the wall. Subsequently, the wall can be pivoted open. Here, the folding over takes place with the aid of a piston/cylinder unit, with which the wall is to be held perpendicularly with respect to the axial direction of the rollers during the operation of the rollers and during the movement out of and into the wall (EP 0 693 329 A2). However, this is not possible in an exact manner, or only with a very high mechanical and electronic control expenditure as a result of the piston/cylinder unit which acts in the vicinity of the hinge, about which the folding over of the wall takes place.